Standards for Communication

Spacing

academic degrees

Cap the first letter of each abbreviated part of an academic degree. Use periods and do not use spaces among the letters.

B.A.; B.El.Ed.; B.Eng.

between sentences and after punctuation

In typewritten material, the typist should space twice between sentences. In printed material or in manuscripts on computer disk to become printed material, only one space is inserted between sentences. All other punctuation should have only one space, if any, after it.

breaking names at end of line

When two initials and a last name are in text, it is preferred that the entire name be on one line. If a break must be made, it should be after the initials, never between the initials.

dashes

initials in a name

When a person uses two initials and a last name, a space should be inserted between the initials. A space also should be inserted between the last initial and the last name.

P. G. Wodehouse

D. L. Sayers

But, no space between two-letter abbreviations (i.e., U.S., P.O.).

phone numbers

Use hyphens to separate the area code from the exchange and the exchange from the number: 814-863-1870.

post office box

PO BOX 1

The post office’s machinery has trouble reading typed envelopes unless the addresses are in all caps with no punctuation except for the hyphen in the “plus four” zip code.

zip codes

Space twice between the city and the state abbreviation and the state abbreviation and the zip code in an address. Use the “plus four” zip for Penn State addresses (see mailing and addressing guidelines under Penn State Information). Contact Mailing Services at University Park campus for codes, 814-865-4051.